Mechanical toy



y 1939- H. SCHMARION I 2,157,021

MECHANICAL TOY Filed Feb. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l I i 1 n v L f l Amman 5 274 Q1 5 5 5 I 5 2 3 m I "Q i INVENTOR H $kmarzbra ATTORNEY May 2, 1939.

H. SCHMARION MECHANICAL TOY Filed Feb. 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY 3 W ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1939' UNlTED STAT 3 Claims.

is invention relates to new and useful improvements in mechanical toys.

The invention has for an object the construction of a mechanical toy which is in the form of 5 a horse, or scooter, or other form, and which has a vertically reciprocative member supported on an under-carriage and associated with a novel means for driving the under-carriage when ones body is used to reciprocate said member.

Still further the invention proposes characterizing the driving means by a horizontal track supported on the reciprocative member and in turn supporting a pair of spaced slides to which a pair of substantially parallel rigid arms are attached, which terminate at their bottom ends in ratchet teeth engaging the opposite sides of a ratchet wheel associated with wheels upon which the under-carriage is supported.

Still further the invention proposes the provision of springs associated with the said parallel arms to urge them axially into operative positions.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:-

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a mechanical toy in the form of a mechanical horse constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the mechanical horse.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the direction of the line 45 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 3 showing particularly the horizontal track. and parallel arms and the springs associated therewith.

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on the line 5-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 10 is another view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating a still further modified form of the device.

Fig. 11 is a side clevational view of a scooter embodying this invention.

Fig. 12 is a rear view of the scooter shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line l4-M of Fig. 13.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-8, inclusive there is an under-carriage l0 which is mounted upon wheels H. A ratchet wheel [2 is connected with certain of the wheels ll for driving the toy when turned, as hereinafter further explained. A substantially vertical reciprocative member I3 is supported upon the undercarriage and is adapted to be reciprocated by shifting the weight of the riders body.

A horizontal track It is supported upon the member l3 and in turn supports a pair of spaced slides i5. A pair of substantially parallel arms Mi and it are rigidly connected with the slides l5 and extend downwards and have ratchet teeth I! engaging against opposite sides of the ratchet wheel l2. A resilient element i3 is connected to and between the'arms it and W" for normally drawing them together by tending to move the slides 15 together. The spring 53 is supported at its center upon a post 20 which projects from member H3.

The under-carriage it comprises a substantially horizontal frame portion til supported between the front legs I t and rear legs I3. The bottom of the rear leg members are attached to rear axle 22, and the top of the rear legs are telescopically arranged in the substantially downwardly projecting portions I3 which simulate the upper portion of the rear legs. Upon the ends of this axle the wheels H are mounted. The ratchet wheel !2 is fixedly mounted upon the rear axle 22. 35

The vertical reciprocative member l3 comprises a horse body 13 having a neck and head l3 There is a vertical central shaft or rod 23 which extends through the front of the body and is rotatively mounted upon and projects through the frame H1 Retaining collars 23 are secured on the central shaft 23, above and below frame Ill so that the rod 23 may be freely rotated. The lower end of rod 23 is separated to form a fork. Between this fork a front wheel H is rotatably mounted by axle 2!. A radial arm 24 is fixed on the rod 23 by a collar extension 24' of the radial arm and the former extends into a hollow within the horses head ki to the location of the mouth of the horse. The other end of the radial arm 24, supports a horizontal bar 24 and its extremities are connected with reins 25 which may be pulled causing the front wheel II to pivot in one direction or the other. The body portion I3 is provided with a saddle I3 having 55 side portions l3 extending downwards and terminating adjacent to, but not attached to the foot brackets 26, which are mounted upon the undercarriage lfl The arrangement permits a person to sit down heavily upon the member l3 to depress it, and then to stand up upon the foot brackets 26 to permit the member l3 to move upwards.

The body portion l3 may be rocked on spherical head 23 near the upper extremity of rod 23 where the body portion l3 is reinforced and hollowed out at l3 to correspond with the shape of the spherical head 23 A pin 23 projects upwardly from the spherical head through a slot l3 in the neck portion I3 of the horse. The pin 23 and slot I3 serve to limit the motion of the member l3 about the spherical head 23*.

There is a strong spring 21 which extends through the interior of the body I3 and at the front end 27 is supported around the central shaft or rod 23 by rings or collars 23" which are fixedly connected upon the rod 23 so that the said rod is free to rotate within spring 21. At the rear end, the spring 21 passes through an aperture 28 in a vertical rod 29. This vertical rod is fixedly mounted to the member I3 and extends out from the bottom of the member. A horizontal track I4 is fixedly mounted on the extended end of the rod 29.

The horizontal track l4 comprises merely a frame in which the blocks l5 are slidably mounted. Each block l5 has a back plate 30 secured thereon which plate is wider than the central opening of the frame to hold the block from coming out through the front of the frame. The arms 16 and l6 are fixedly mounted on the front faces of the blocks l5 and extend across one of the side arms of the track frame to assist in limiting the blocks from coming out. Of course, the blocks l5 are free to slide longitudinally in the frame.

The spring l8 tends to urge the arms I 6 and 16 together. The ratchet wheel I2 has its teeth arranged in one direction and the teeth I! on the arms 16* and l6 are cooperative with the teeth of the ratchet wheel l2 to cause continuous rotation during each downward and each upward motion of the member l3.

On the downward motion the arm Hi turns the ratchet wheel anti-clockwise while the arm lS idles over the ratchet wheel. On the upward motion the arm Ifi turns the ratchet wheel i2 anti-clockwise and the arm Ifi merely idles over the ratchet wheel.

The operation of the device is as follows: A rider sits on the saddle I3 and has his feet resting on the foot brackets 26. The weight of the rider then causes the body l3 to move downwards against the action of the spring 21. This downward motion will be transmitted by the arm 16 to turn the rear wheels II. The rider then stands on the foot brackets to permit the body 3 to move upwards. This upward motion is transmitted into more rotation of the wheels H. The toy may be steered by pulling on the reins 25 to steer the front wheel II. This is transmitted by the arm 24 to rotate the rod 23 which in turn turns the front wheel H and so steers the toy.

In Figs. 11-14 inclusive another embodiment of the invention has been disclosed which distinguishes from the prior form in that the invention has been applied to the scooter. According to this form of the invention there is an undercarriage 46 supported on wheels 4! and a vertical shaft 56. The under-carriage 46 at the shaft 56 is supported by rings 41, which are secured to the shaft. The under-carriage is formed with a suitable aperture through which shaft 56 extends, and the latter is permitted to rotate. The wheels 4! are fixed upon a rear shaft 43 upon which there is also fixed a ratchet wheel 44. This ratchet wheel is engaged by a pair of parallel arms 45 and 46 which are attached to slides 4! in a frame track 48. ported upon the rear end of a pivotal member 50 which is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends by brackets 5! and a pintle 52 supported upon the under-carriage. There is a spring 53 connected to and between the arms 45 and 46. This spring is mounted at its center upon a post 54 which extends upwards and has a vertical portion 54' fixedly mounted upon the member 50.

This frame track is sup- The front wheel 42 is supported on an axle 55. V

This axle is connected to an inverted U-shaped or fork member 56 which is formed at the lower extremity of vertical shaft 56. This column 56 has a top handle 58 by which it may be easily turned to steer the scooter.

The scooter is operated by one standing on the member 56 with one foot to the front and the other to the rear and then shifting the weight to oscillate the member 50. This oscillation will be transmitted'to drive the rear wheels of the toy in a manner identical to that explained relative to the preferred form.

In Fig. 9 another embodiment of the horizon tal track arrangement has been disclosed. In this form of the invention the upper end of the arms I6 and l6 support a pair of rollers 60 each, which are adapted to roll in the horizontal track M. A resilient element I8 is connected to and between arms 56 and 66 In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 10 a still further modified form of the invention has been disclosed in which the arms l6 and 56" are pivoted at 6| to the lower extremities 62 of vertical rod 29. The resilient element I8" is connected to and between the arms l6 and 6" for normally swinging them toward each other on pivots 6|.

It is to be understood that this device may be used in any type of vehicle using a plurality of wheels and the vehicle may be propelled by changing the weight of the rider or by any other means rocking the body portion of the vehicle body.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a body, a reciprocative member pivotally supported on said body, a drive axle rotatively mounted on said body, a track mounted on said member to move towards and away from said axle as said member reciprocates, a ratchet wheel securely mounted on said axle, a pair of parallel arms movably mounted on said track so as to remain parallel to each other, ratchet teeth formed on said arms and engageable with opposite sides of said ratchet wheel to cause it to turn in one direction, said arms having their bottom ends curved with the concaved sides directed towards the pivot point of said member, and means for maintaining said arms in their parallel position with relation to each other at all times.

2. In a device of the class described, a body, a reciprocative member pivotally supported on said body, a drive axle rotatively mounted on said body, a track mounted on said member to move towards and away from said axle as said member reciprocates, a ratchet wheel securely mounted on said axle, a pair of parallel arms movably mounted on said track so as to remain parallel to each other, ratchet teeth formed on said arms and engageable with opposite sides of said ratchet wheel to cause it to turn in one direction, said arms having their bottom ends curved with the concaved sides directed towards the pivot point of said member, and means for maintaining said arms in their parallel position with relation to each other at all times, comprising blocks formed on the upper ends of said arms and slidably engaging said track, and resilient means for urging said arms together permitting said arms to be moved laterally away from each other with said blocks sliding in said track.

3. In a device of the class described, a body, a reciprocative member pivotally supported on said body, a drive axle rotatively mounted on said body, a track mounted on said member to move towards and away from said axle as said member reciprocates, a ratchet wheel securely mounted on said axle, a pair of parallel arms movably mounted on said track so as to remain parallel to each other, ratchet teeth formed on said arms and engageable with opposite sides of said ratchet wheel to cause it to turn in one direction, said arms having their bottom ends curved with the concaved sides directed towards the pivot point of said member, and means for maintaining said arms in their parallel position with relation to each other at all times, comprising blocks formed on the upper ends of said arms and slidably engaging said track, and resilient means for urging said arms together permitting said arms to be moved laterally away from each other with said blocks sliding in said track, said resilient means, comprising a stud extending from said reciprocative member and between said arms, and a spring having its ends attached to said arms and its intermediate portion attached to said stud for urging said arms together with said blocks located centrally of said track.

HERMAN SCHMARION. 

